My name is Taylor and I have been a member of 3FC since April and doing OKAY with calorie counting.

See, the problem is....I love food. I love eating food, I love going out to eat, I love cooking food. Calorie counting really made me feel almost depressed because of how much I couldn't eat. And don't get me started on CHEESE.

I have known about atkins for awhile and today is going to be my first day on it.

I am so excited to be able to eat again! And my poor boyfriend won't have to eat chicken and brown rice EVERYDAY. We can try new things, eat new places and I can feel apart of the world again.

I have read the induction phase 1 and I am so excited to make fried eggs and bacon this morning I can hardly stand it (It's almost 4 in the morning here and I can't sleep!)

As well as being a new to atkins - I also lift weights twice a week with a trainer and 2-3 times on my own on the elliptical

You have no idea how much of a blessing this is going to be to me. To be able to go to a diner for breakfast and order eggs and bacon - go out to lunch and have a burger with no bun - to eat dinner out and have a steak to boil an artichoke and only count carbs and eat it with REAL BUTTER.

I know I wanted to lose weight for the long run, and I believe that atkins is going to be the way for me.

Anyway, I must be coming off as the biggest goof but I just wanted to say I cannot wait to be apart of this thread and join in all the success everyone has been having....oh and eat!

My only question is.....I am a college student with limited time between classes to make lunch....I know that I will end up going to wendy's and getting cheesebugers with no ketchup and taking off the bun...but are there any other ideas that make easy lunches?

Thank you so much and I look forward to getting to know everyone!

__________________" This is not a diet, it's a life-style. This is not a race, it's one step at a time. This is not about next year, yesterday or tomorrow it's about today."

"The shape of my body obeys the shape of my beliefs about love, value and possibility. To change my body, I must first understand that which is shaping it."-Women, Food and God

Wendy's cheeseburgers with no bun & no ketchup are fine for lunch (I've been known to enjoy a baconator from time to time) but, I've found the key to Atkins is to always have foods prepared...tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, grilled chicken, hard boiled eggs are always great to have on hand. Here's a great website for some of the best low carb recipes on the web: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/recipes.html Anything marked with an * is Induction friendly

Hey Taylor! I'm no Atkins follower, but I wanted to wish you all the best with your new plan I hope that you find it's everything you need!

Oh & PS - Definitely listen to everything JerseyGyrl has to say about Atkins. I may not follow the plan, but I read a lot of different places around the boards, and this chick knows her stuff (And is so willing to share that experience & information with everyone.)

Wow you are certainly excited about the prospect of meat lol! Make sure you get your veggies everyday! I have found that cooking up frozen broccoli and cauliflower and peppers with some chicken or beef and a little soy sauce is a very filling quick and tasty meal! Good luck on your Induction!

Calorie counting really made me feel almost depressed because of how much I couldn't eat. And don't get me started on CHEESE.

I am so excited to be able to eat again! And my poor boyfriend won't have to eat chicken and brown rice EVERYDAY.

You have no idea how much of a blessing this is going to be to me. To be able to go to a diner for breakfast and order eggs and bacon - go out to lunch and have a burger with no bun - to eat dinner out and have a steak to boil an artichoke and only count carbs and eat it with REAL BUTTER.

I'm not trying to be a grump here ... but um .. I really don't get these statements.

I most definitely do not eat chicken and brown rice *every day*, just because I calorie count.

I eat fried eggs at least once a week. I eat bacon - both with eggs, and in lentil salad.

I use nothing but real butter when I cook and season food. I just use it in moderate quantities.

There is absolutely nothing that you "cannot" eat when you're calorie counting. There are no forbidden foods or anything like that. As long as you can make room in your calorie plan, then you can eat anything.

It appears from what you say (and I may be wrong, but I'm going on what you wrote) that you think you can eat unlimited quantities of cheese and meat and things like fried eggs and bacon just because you're on Atkins and that will make you lose weight?

Eating those things on Atkins is no different from eating them as a calorie counter. If you consume too many calories and too much fat, you will not lose weight. Carb management helps some people, but no matter how few carbs you eat, if you eat too many calories, you will not lose.

It appears from what you say (and I may be wrong, but I'm going on what you wrote) that you think you can eat unlimited quantities of cheese and meat and things like fried eggs and bacon just because you're on Atkins and that will make you lose weight?

I'm not meaning to be a grump either but, there are some things that need clarifcation regarding Atkins. Most people have the common misconception that on Atkins you can eat unlimited cheese, meat, eggs, bacon etc. This is NOT true. This is the exact reason I can not stress strongly enough, read the book before attempting to "do Atkins" because "doing Atkins" correctly requires understanding exactly how & why this plan works.

While counting calories may not be a requirement of Atkins in the beginning phase, you may find in the later phases it may become more necessary. PhotoChick is correct "no matter how few carbs you eat, if you eat too many calories, you will not lose".

I calorie count and am able to eat anything I want, meat, cheese, eggs, potatoes you name it, nothing is restricted when you count calories. The only thing is to stay within your calorie allowance. I have done Atkins and was successful but found it to be a nuisance to count carbs. It really is a matter of personal preference.

I count calories now and eat what I want as long as I stay within what I need to eat to lose. I eat meats and cheeses and all of the above, but I fit it into my calories for the day! Anyway, I just want to say that you can count calories and eat what you want, but if this isn't for you, I do wish you lots of luck on your journey.

Taylor - this *is* most definitely a support group. And what we are telling you IS support. If you are going into Atkins with the mindset that you can eat as much meat and cheese and fried food as you like and lose weight ... you're going to be very very disappointed.

And if you are mistaken in a way of eating - talking about what you *can't* eat when you count calories or that you have to eat chicken and brown rice every night or whatever - then the very SUPPORTIVE women here are going to nicely let you know that you're wrong.

Letting you go around with misconceptions about food or diet plans is NOT supportive. I think you'll see that we're all trying to support you here by helping you figure out your way of eating.

FWIW, I have nothing against Atkins (done properly) at all. I have several friends who have lost weight on the program and who have used it to permanently change their way of eating. I have a huge problem with the mindset that someone can go on Atkins, and consume massive quantities of fried eggs and bacon and lose weight - because one, that's not what Atkins is, two, it's hugely unhealthy, and three, they won't lose weight and then they'll say that Atkins doesn't work.

While counting calories may not be a requirement of Atkins in the beginning phase, you may find in the later phases it may become more necessary. PhotoChick is correct "no matter how few carbs you eat, if you eat too many calories, you will not lose".

You know I bet this was my problem when I first started Atkins back in 2001. I had originally lost 50 pounds but my weightloss had completely stopped yet I continued eating the same way with no thought to the fact that I might have been eating more calories then I needed at that time.
I wish I had of known that at the time instead of giving Atkins up and regaining what I had lost.

I like to bring a salad in a Tupperware (Rubbermaid, whatever) bowl and toss in one of those pouches of tuna fish - I don't know though how that would be not in a fridge, but maybe one of those bags with those ice pack things?

Or today I had a burrito at Baja Fresh served "Bare Style" which means over a bed of lettuce instead of the burritto shell. It was absolutely delicious!